MT ARARAT IN TURKEY– TREK TO THE MOUNT OF NOAH’S ARK

GET ON YOUR FIRST 5000.

Mount Ararat (5137mts.) is the highest mountain in Turkey located in the eastern end of the country. It is an inactive volcano whose top is covered with perpetual snow.

Mount Ararat is the place accepted by Christianity, Judaism and Islam as the place where Noah’s Ark settled after the universal flood. It is also the place of the legend of the “Ten Thousand Martyrs of Mount Ararat”. At its base, some Kurdish villages allow you to see the traditional nomadic life of this culture.

Its ascent does not require great technical demands, but it does require a good physical condition and an acclimatization process so as not to suffer from altitude sickness. It is considered a good mountain for beginners in height ascents.

The trekking to the summit will be done in 6 days + 1 day margin in case of bad weather, plus the days to reach the base where we will learn about the culture at the foot of the mountain. The total trip is 8 days and can be extended if you want to visit Istanbul on the way or back. In the mountain, different camps will be held to be able to ascend with guarantees and comfort

We have a local mountain guide in the area, who manages the Hotel where we will start the ascent, who speaks perfect English and will be the greatest host to make this trip a unique experience.

On the trip we will sleep 3 nights in a 3-star hotel at the foot of the mountain in Dogubeyazit and the nights on the mountain in a tent in the camps that will be set up with a private cook. In the mountains we will use mules to help us climb the material.

You need a minimum level that allows you to do a mountain route of 1300m of elevation gain in one day. It is not a demanding route and days are interspersed with shorter days to guarantee good acclimatization and good recovery from the days of trekking. During the route we can carry a small backpack with the things we will use during the day. The mules will transport our backpacks to the camps.

Our trainer Mr. Pablo Ral,  graduate in Physical Activity Sciences, Master in High Performance, Chilean Ski Mountaineering Coach and specialist in endurance sports… can make you a specific personal training plan for this trip.

• Standard training plan (one-time payment): 99€ (Fill out online form, 30 min personal interview (to adjust the plan and resolve doubts), Receive your personalized plan)
• Premium training plan (monthly): 130€ (Fill out online form, 1h personal interview (to adjust the plan and resolve doubts), Receive your personalized plan. Weekly monitoring of your progression and monthly readjustment of the training plan)

You can request your training plan at the time of booking your trip or later. (Standard training plans are valid for a maximum of 3 months)

FUNCTIONAL CLOTHING:
● Gore-Tex or waterproof and breathable jacket
● Waterproof rain pants
● Warm jacket – down jacket or preferably primaloft (as they can handle water)
● Lightweight fleece lining
● Breathable, easy-drying short-sleeved T-Shirts
● Stretch pants, a little thicker, days or nights colder
● Trekking pants
● Shorts
● Thermal pants and t-shirt set
● Undergarments (non-cotton recommended)
HEAD
● Lightweight running cap
● Wool beanie
● Neck Gaiter
● Sunglasses.
HANDS
● Thin fleece gloves.
● Walking poles (Recommended)
FEET
● Thin socks (non cotton)
● Thick, warm socks for the night (non cotton)
● Lightweight trail shoes
● Hiking boots (that can fit the crampons)
● Hiking sandals with heel strap (Optional)
BACKPACKS
● Mountain backpack 20/35 liters
● Rain backpack cover
● Small travel bag (for documentation and wallet)
● Duffle bag (better than suitcase)
LODGE MATERIAL
● Sleeping bag (comfort -10C)
● Earplugs
ACCESSORIES
● Headlamp and battery or spare batteries
● Sun cream, lip cocoa and after sun
● Mosquito repellent.
EAT/DRINK
● Hydration System minimum 1l (Camelbag, canteen or flexible bottle)
● Thermo Flask (optional)
● Snacks, nuts, gels, hydration and sufficient power bars, protein bars, trail mix, magnesium tablets and recovery supplements
TRAVEL EQUIPMENT
● Casual clothes
● ID or passport, Visa, cash, insurance documentation, vaccination card.
● Microfiber towel
● First aid and medication kit
● Thermal blanket
● Mobile phone and watch with the route track
● Powerbank, camera, charging cables, headphones, selfie stick…

Food:
All food on the mountains is included and will be prepared on the Camps by our cooks. The days in the hotel in Dogubeyazit include breakfast. There are several restaurant nearby the hotel.

The Itinerary explains what meals are included each day according to the program. If you have allergies or preferences, let us know on the registration form and we will take it into account.

We always recommend that you bring your own energy bars, nuts… so that you can eat while doing the activities.

Accommodation:

The program provides accommodation in shared rooms. If you want a single room, please indicate this at the time of booking.

We believe solo travelers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travelers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and solo travelers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

In case you wish that we can look for the best flight combination tickets from your nearest airport to the destination you can add this service in “extra services” on the checkout before booking the trip and will give you the best proposal beforehand and once accepted buy it for you. This service includes monitor the flight prices over time to get the best deal when prices are low and check in of your flight. The administrative fee for this service is 35€ + the flights cost that will be invoice to you afterwards.

The closes airport to Dogubeyazit is Igdir airport (1 hour by car) which is served daily by Turkish airlines, the transfer to this airport are included in the price. In case you arrive to the second closest airport, Van (Van Ferit Melen Airport) there is a supplement of 25€ for the transfer.

We offer you a 5% discount on your IATI travel insurance. The discount is just valid if you buy the travel insurance policy after clicking on the link.

In case you wish that we can look for the best travel insurance that covers the trip destination/activity with your nationality. You can add this service in “extra services” on the checkout before booking the trip and will give you the best proposal beforehand and once accepted buy it for you. The administrative fee for this service is 15€ + the insurance cost that will be invoice to you afterwards.

The client is informed that B4Experience will issue the trip without including a cancellation, repatriation or accident policy, unless it is explicitly included in the trip contract and paid in the first payment. During the trip contracting, you will be offered how to contract it if you wish.

Rescue insurance: Recommended / Not mandatory
Rescue insurance is highly recommended on all active trips. It must be taken into consideration that these insurance policies are specific for each type of activity (hiking, climbing…)

The user is informed that the GUARANTEE COMPANY that covers the risks of contractual liability and guarantee against insolvency is MARKEL INSURANCE SE

Visas, and Entry Requirements
Certainly! It is important to have a valid passport with at least 6 months validity when traveling to any country.

To know the specific visa requirements for your trip, it is recommended to contact your local embassy or consulate, or consult with your travel agent. Remember that it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct travel documentation. Visa requirements can vary based on your nationality and your destination. While we strive to keep our information updated, visa rules can change unexpectedly. Therefore, it is crucial that you verify the information yourself and understand that you are accountable for meeting your own visa requirements.

Vaccines
For each trip, clients are solely responsible for having the mandatory and/or recommended vaccines required in each region or country. Consult with your doctor to have all vaccinations before the start of the trip.

The client can take out trip cancellation insurance to be able to obtain payment of the entire amount paid (according to its conditions).

The end user may withdraw from the contracted trip, having the right to a refund of the amounts paid, except for the indicated penalties, but must also satisfy the Agency in the amounts indicated below once the trip has been confirmed. If it is not carried out due to not reaching the minimum necessary places, the client can save the credit for future trips or request a full refund of the reservation.

Cancellation Policy 3:

• • FULL REFUND UP TO 24H AFTER PURCHASE
  • Up to 60 days before the trip 100% refund of the trip amount.
  • Up to 45 days before the trip Refund of 50% of the trip amount.
  • For terms shorter than those described in the cancellation policy, the amount already paid will not be paid.
  • *€250 management fees apply

* Cancellation fees will not be paid for reservations already issued. If there are other non-refundable expenses already issued, these will not be paid either and will be deducted from the amount to be paid.
* The cost of cancellation of issued flights is 100% of the amount.

EXEMPTION OF LIABILITY AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK
B4Experience offers active trips for different sports and Outdoor activities, as well as information related to these activities through our web platform www.b4experience.com and other channels.

The practice of any activity in nature carries a risk for those who do it, with most of these activities being considered high-risk sports. Each one must know and apply their limits and be aware that regardless of the technical training and physical level one has, their practice can lead to accidents or even death.

The in-person activities and trips offered by B4Experience are carried out on land and activities that may inherently involve risks for those who carry them out and thus clients are informed that they contract them.

DOSSIER DISCLAIMER:

The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary.

VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print/ download a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.

ITINERARY DISCLAIMER:

While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. On all Outdoor trips, the routes will be adjusted depending on the weather, the level of the group participants and the risks assessed by the guide/trip leader.

Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.